13626/That's A Surprise

That's A Surprise
Date of Scene:	15 July 2021
Location:	Fortress Asgard, Kvalvika, New Asgard
Synopsis:	Thor and Karen sharing time.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Power Girl

---

Thor has posed:
    It is approximately mid-day when the doors open to the royal wing of the Fortress Asgard. The grand double doorway open silently with a quiet sweep of those monumentally large wooden doors, opening the view from the hall upon the dining area that is used for the royal family in residence. Two guards, one on either side of the door, snap to attention as Thor steps through wearing the black and gold tunic as well as the grey breeks. He pauses to look to the side, gesturing with the sweep of one hand to the table which...
    Apparently is already set for a mid-day repast. It's a casual fare, less cooked items and more a gathering of cold meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables. A stew holds prominence as the centerpiece and bowls are nearby. Likely much more food than the two of them could eat, but the rest is eventually taken to be shared and a part of the meals for the rest of the castle's staff.
    "Ah, Bjarke!" Thor greets the good Captain with a wave, "You enjoy my thanks, I had not expected a meal to be ready so promptly."
    "I did take some liberty, my lord. Nothing too extravagant but I thought it would be good to have food on hand for you and your guest." The tall white-haired Asgardian nods once as he executes a short bow, stepping backwards.
    "If you will excuse me, I should be about my duties."
    "Of course, Bjarke. Good day to you."
    "And you, my lord."

Power Girl has posed:
It is a few moments later when his guest comes out of that room. Karen's dressed casually, admittedly in the Asgardian style. She'd opted for a pair of supple dark pants with a blue tunic, belted at the waist. However, her feet were bare. She didn't bother putting on her sneakers before arriving, padding quietly into the room.

She enters just as the captain is heading for the doorway. A glance is given that direction then she moves toward the table, pausing near Thor to claim a small kiss before looking at the fair laid out before them.

"That's a lot of food," Karen mutters.

Thor has posed:
    "Tis," Thor answers casually, "Take what you wish, the rest will be used for the evening meals around the fortress." Since in truth it would be rather formidable to try and put a dent in the foodstuffs available before them. But the Asgardian Prince seems used to it, at least to some degree. It's not as large as a banquet, and she might well recognize some of the food as having been imported. Still, a decent spread.
    Taking up a plate he starts to casually move about the table, putting this or that onto it. Though as he walks by some pieces of chicken he'll scoop up a drumstick and put it in his mouth to hold it there while he circumnavigates the table.
    It's a curiously... informal act, and likely not something she'd imagine the King of Asgard doing, but with her having passed the night here his guard seems... lowered.

Power Girl has posed:
Karen follows suit, picking up a plate and starting to select items as well. Cheeses then several bits of fruit here and there. She does glance back over as he picks up that drumstick, putting it into his mouth and carrying it that way. It made her grin a little bit. Mainly because she hadn't really expected it. It wasn't that he was crazy formal when they were having dinners and the like.

She went back to looking at the meats, spotting a few she actually hadn't seen before. She picked up a couple of them, to sample. Though she'll have to ask what they are. She moves to find a seat to settle in, putting her plate there first then heading off in search of something to drink to help wash it down. "There is enough here to feed the entire town."

Thor has posed:
    "Ah," Thor says, but only after he takes that drumstick out of his mouth. "To be fair a good number of them work here in the fortress. And Asgardians, well. We do have an appetite of some remark." The high caloric intake might very well be one of those small distinctions between those of the Nine Realms, or perhaps they are just a hearty people.
    With his plate now secure he takes up a goblet of wine from the end of the table and then seems to recall he should mention, "Tis just afternoon wine, barely affects one."
    That said he starts over to one of the tables that rests near the window, the breeze from without sneaking in and carrying the scent of the bay even as he pulls out the wooden chair and adjusts it, then smiles toward her and gestures as that one is to be hers. Then he'll set his plate down and wait for her to join him before taking his own seat.

Power Girl has posed:
There is a difference betweenh afternoon and evening wine? That's a new one to her. Karen picks up the goblet and heads over to take her seat. She'd already pretty much claimed her seat by putting that plate there. Course she could've moved but he was apparently good with it.

She picks up a piece of cheese and nibbles at it as she leans comfortablly back in her chair. "I mean I have an appetite. I'm not going to be ordering the salad to try to pretend like I don't eat. I mean, you can't look like this without eating." Muscles that is. Something was needed to add bulk. Lots of protein.

Thor has posed:
    Once settled there, Thor will draw the small tapestry that rests before the window, hooking the loop of a braid from it around a small curved wrought-iron piece. It's open now enough to reveal the bay below them, and to let the breeze be a touch stronger. That settled he turns back to his food and begins to eat with a casual ease. There's a smile now and again spared to her while he indulges in the mid-day meal.
    "I hope you will spend more time here, it is nice to have you around." A pause as his eyebrows rise, "And the Artisans have spoken well of you, I am sure one or another could offer you an apprenticeship of some kind if you were interested."

Power Girl has posed:
She picks up ...something. It's one of those random bits of meat that she isn't sure what it is. She knows beef, pork, chicken. She's tasted some others, such as the amazing venison they serve here. It might be that, but it's cut differently than what she was served before.

As he spoke, Karen focused on him as that lovely breeze brought the sea air to them. "I still hope to learn more with them, most certainly," she agrees. A hint of a blush to her cheeks. "I do want to spend more time here. Though I still have my job back home and my duties to the League. The great news is I can get over here in a flash." Thank goodness for being Kryptonian.

Thor has posed:
    "I understand, and there will be times when I will be in New York. But I can travel hastily as well." Though perhaps not quite as quick as her, lest they travel beyond the atmosphere, of course.
    The tall Asgardian Prince then extends his hand to rest it over Karen's, just long enough to give a small squeeze. "I also have in my possession a cellular telephone, of which I am entirely at ease in its use. Though I sometimes do not remember to bring it with me, but there are often others around who will answer and come find me if needs be."
    Since that's entirely a thing. To have people watch your cellphone for you.
    His smile twists up a little, "Also I would see where you work, if you are amenable."

Power Girl has posed:
She turns her hand palm up under his, gripping his momentarily as she chews that bite. Definitely venison, just prepared a different way. One thing she will learn here is how to cook game meats. She's determined to do that no matter what, even if she shocks the kitchen staff by just walking in one day.

The idea of others finding his phone and following him around to give it to him already had her grinning. But the last has ther laughing. "I am pretty sure most of the people in the lab might just faint at the sight of The Thor walking in. A few might fangirl." Be they male or female, it was still fangirling in her mind.

Thor has posed:
    "Well," Thor says, his smile turning a little roguish, something more like the youthful Prince than the seasoned Monarch there in the gleam of his good eye. "Be that as it may, I still would see it." Not denying the possibility of fangirling of whatever gender.
    A hand lifts from his plate as he gestures with the bone of the chicken leg, "But I would not wish to interfere, so I will surrender to your advice on how we do such if you like. Or if we do it at all."
    Then he takes another bite and tilts his head, "Also, I should perhaps warn you that once it becomes known that we look on each other well, that then my brother might well find it amusing to deceive you in some capacity. So be mindful."

Power Girl has posed:
"Oh we can do it. Just be prepared for fainting and fluttering and all the other effs that I can think of." Then she realized what she said and giggled softly. "Well not /all/ the effs, but the ones that are proper in mixed company." Which really was problematic phrasing as well but she was leaving it at that because there was only so much digging-out-verbally one could do before just giving up.

Which is why it was helpful there was something else to focus on and Karen gave him a little bit of a look. "This the same brother that seemed to think it was fun deceiving me the first time? Is there a way to see through or avoid? I mean before I kiss him or something. Which pretty sure I could tell who it was from a kiss but I'd like to not reach that point."

Thor has posed:
    As Karen spoke Thor followed along a little, watching her with a slight knot to his brow as she speaks of the 'effs' and doesn't seem to keep up with exactly what she may mean. Perhaps it is a confusion with All-Speak considering that 'effs' might have a different significance for an individual who is enchanted so.
    But then she moves on to a topic he's more understanding of, that being his brother. "Ah, yes. Indeed. And would there was some simple defense or technique to realize who he is, and there is not one..." Yet the thought of it has his blue-eyed gaze drifting off before he looks back.
    "Although, if you suspect someone is him his greatest weakness is his ego. If he were to appear before you in my form and you spoke ill of him, or encouraged him to speak ill of him then he would likely... not be able to. Or he would hedge his words to present himself in the most positive light."

Power Girl has posed:
She had picked up a little slice of some cheese that was not familiar. A nibble to find it was quite smooth and creamy, a very subtle almost nutty flavor. Very different. Also very yummy. She'd need to get that again next time she saw it offered.

Karen kept her eyes on him as he explained though, giving a little nod at the end. "Sounds like he's a good shapeshifter, bad actor. Good to know. Course, I'll have to suspect such a thing in the first place to use that order of questions. But at least it's a tool and I'll remember that. You've not really spoken ill of your brother really. You've been quite...more understanding of him than I am. I still want to punch him in the face. But after all that's happened with us, maybe I should just say thank you to him."

Thor has posed:
    A deep breath is taken as Thor turns and leans against the large and heavy wooden table, so crafted as if someone simply took a gigantic redwood and split it asunder to create halves that were perfectly level and then varnished. A hefty piece of furniture for hefty people.
    "You have not someone in your life in such a way?" Thor crosses his legs at the ankles, his hands flat upon the tabletop supporting him. He seems to have eaten enough for now for he helps himself to naught further, instead just speaks with her so casually.
    "Someone whom you know has done ill but who has still a side to them that you hold dear?"

Power Girl has posed:
Karen thought about the question and she couldn't help it. She winced. Not because she had a person like that she was close to. She /was/ that person. The people she was closest to were folks like Clark and Kara. Not at all people like Thor's brother in nature.

Yet there was one duplicitous being in the family.

"Not anymore? I mean..." She really had hoped to avoid this conversation but considering where things seemed to be with them, maybe it was time to pull off the bandaid and see what happened. Because the closer she got to him, the worse it would hurt when he later rejected her. Cause she was expecting that rejection.

But baby steps.

"At one time, I was the villain in my family. I was an enemy to them. I was--told some things. Taught they were evil. So I thought I was doing good. But then I learned that I was the bad guy." She glances down at her tray of food then looked back to him. "So I guess I do have someone that was that way in my family."

Thor has posed:
    Eyebrows lift as Thor listens to her words given, then gives a nod in understanding with his head tilting to the side and his brows rising. As if accepting the truth of the matter and recognizing its difficulty. "Ah, that must be a burden you carry then. Good that you take steps to insure you are perhaps only considered that in the past."
    Then his smile twists upwards as he looks at her from under his brow, those deep blue eyes gleaming with amusement. "And I know some of your family perchance, and doubt they would hold it so ill against you."
    He leans over and takes up a cherry tomato and pops it into his mouth, chewing a bit before he smiles. "Loki and I, however? We have had many... many... many many years together and many experiences to build up a complex series of grudges and a sense of nostalgia that will ever color our connection. So long as we live."

Power Girl has posed:
So there is that too. Many many many years. Because they are like thousands of years old or the like.

Then there's Karen.

She brushed a hand through her hair, hooking it behind her ear on the right side. A nervous movement, as she tried to focus on the words and not her own thoughts.

"That makes sense. So much time you would have a lot of water under the bridge. Good and bad, I'd guess. If he was all bad, you wouldn't speak of him with positivity." Which he has actually been very diplomatic when talking of his brother, giving him the benefit of the doubt and seeing his actions in a positive light.

Thor has posed:
    "In some ways," Thor says as he shifts a little to the side to cast his eyes across the dining hall, his gaze stopped by the fortress wall, but not his thoughts as he considers Loki's quarters which had lain in that direction the times he had made use of them. Yet he looks back and repeats, "In some ways, it would be easier if I could say he did all for ill, but I cannot."
    A small breath is drawn in, held, then exhaled slowly as he shakes his head, then turns his regard back upon Karen. "With your family I am sure that at the time it was a strong feeling. But now, I know if I spoke to those you would call family, that they would tell me naught but the good you have done in the time since."
    That having been said he reaches out and takes her hand. "But come, we have some time yet. We shall go down to the bay, and I will teach you a skill you have no need for at all. I shall teach you how to sail."
    And as he says that he pushes himself up to his feet.

Power Girl has posed:
Considering she had been barely nibbling anything at this point, it was obvious she had sated her hunger. The breeze coming in the window had her wanting to go out and enjoy the day.

At mention of her family, she had to give a nod. They likely would. They didn't seem to hold her past against her at all. Karen was the only one who had that issue. Course if he spoke to her family, he might find out her true age too. That was something she'd have to address. Later.

As he took her hand, she twined her fingers with his again then had to laugh softly. "Why wouldn't I have a need for it? Just because I can fly doesn't mean I want to always travel that way."

But she pushes to her feet as well, looking forward to learning something new. And spending more time with him in the process.